Re: Sterling Lith paper

[Clive Warren <Clive.Warren@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Clive Warren <Clive.Warren@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: infrared@xxxxx <infrared@xxxxx>
>Date: 19 April 1999 11:05
>Subject: Sterling Lith paper
>
>
>>Well have to say I'm hooked on lith printing - it will be a regular part of
>>darkroom practice from now on.
>>
>>If anyone decides to try out Sterling Lith paper for printing their IR work
>>it is worth the effort, however it is an effort :-)
>>
>>At the weekend I printed up the following IR shot taken using Konica - here
>>it is a straight print in normal chemistry:
>>
>>http://wkweb5.cableinet.co.uk/cocam/Hound.jpg
>>
>>I chose this neg. as it is a real challenge to print anyway - the grass
>>requires a lot of burning in and the hound has to be dodged. The print at
>>the URL is straight with no dodging or burning.  Currently exposing for 4
>>minutes on lith paper using Novalith developer - it still needs another
>>stop to get the grass and leaves in the background.  If I find a scanner
>>big enough then will put the print up on the website.
>>
>>
>>Using the Sterling paper for the first time I found it almost impossible to
>>tell which side has the emulsion.  It is an eggshell finish on the emulsion
>>side and is very (VERY) similar to the surface texture of the back.  I
>>hesitate to lick my fingers in the darkroom, however this was the only way
>>to tell the emulsion side, and even then the difference between sides is
>>very slight.
>>
>>One strategy I tried was to print my test strips in ordinary developer
>>(that looks good also on this paper) and from that ascertain the emulsion
>>side of the paper in the packet.  Well that would be great, however the
>>paper in the packet was not packed all facing the same way &%$*(*(*&!!!!
>>
>>Looking at the packet the sealing flap had been taped shut - my guess is
>>that the seller had repackaged a smaller quantity of paper from a large
>>stock.  I will be contacting them today......
>>
>>I left one sheet in the developer for 35 minutes to see if at least an
>>image would appear on the reverse side - it did.  After 25 minutes it was
>>painfully obvious that it was the wrong way up.  However it does have
>>amazing pepper fogging and streaking :-)
>>
>>Anyone have similar experiences and any tips?
>>
>>Guess I will have to read Tim's book again to determine which chemicals to
>>buy for the pepper fogging problem as I had some in the two successful
>>prints at a dev. time of about 10 minutes.
>>
>>Locally there are not too many darkroom chemical stockists - the only
>>serious one is KJP who also own Calumet in the USA.
>>
>>Asked for some Pot Ferri in Jessops (UK photo chain store) on Saturday (KJP
>>is closed on Saturdays) and was offered some Sepia toner without the bleach
>>Hmmmm....
>>
>>
>>Does anyone have any tips for drying the Sterling paper?  hung up a couple
>>of sheets back to back and they curled horribly :-(
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>All the best,
>>
>>              Clive   http://clive.bel-epa.com
>>
>----------
>
>I hang them back to back and clip all 4 corners. They dry with a mild curl
>which flattens under weight or in a slightly warmed mounting press.
>
>The peper fogging is easy to control now but if you plan to use ferri take
>care - it will cause a colour shift. (see book)
>
>Tim
>
>PS. It's not 'that much' trouble when you get the hang of it - I've done 200
>in a weekend before now ;-))


Tim,

Thanks for the comments.  Guess I should clip all four corners - clipped
only two and got the dreaded curl.

Suppose the process is like anything else, experience makes it all a lot
easier.  The subtleties of assessing the emulsion side of the Sterling
paper will take some time to master.

It would be a lot easier if the paper was packed with all the sheets
'facing' the same way.

A friend popped 'round last night and saw one of the Sterling lith prints
which happened to be on the table and was very interested in the process.
That particular print was exposed for 4 minutes but really needs an 8
minute exposure :-)

Guess you don't get a lot of sleep on a printing weekend :-)



All the best,

              Clive   http://clive.bel-epa.com


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